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When teaching grammar, we have repeatedly said that it is more productive to memorize words not separately, but as part of stable phrases . This way of learning saves a lot of time and effort.
For example, which option to choose - do noise or make noise ? According to the logic of using do and make , it would be better to say do noise, but the correct thing is make noise . So the logic doesn't always work.
Or another example: many people translate “say a compliment” as “ pay a compliment ”. However, a more accurate and beautiful option is pay a compliment , although an ignorant person is unlikely to guess that in this case pay is more appropriate than say .
Where logic does not work, the law of automatism comes to the rescue - you need to memorize phrases so that they “fly out” at the right time in the right phrase so that you do not have to come up with these phrases yourself.
English set expressions with verbs
So, the main stable combinations are known with the following verbs:
have, do, make, take, break, catch, pay, save, keep, come, go, get.
Table. Set expressions in English
|
HAVE |
OF |
MAKE |
|
have a bath/ a shower have drink/ a coffee/ a tea have a good time have a haircut have a rest/ a break have sympathy have lunch/ breakfast/ dinner have a swim/ a talk |
do business do nothing do a favour do the homework do the housework do your hair do your best do the shopping/ the washing up |
make a difference make a mess make a mistake make a noise make an effort make money make progress make room make trouble |
|
TAKE |
BREAK |
CATCH |
|
take a break take a chance take a look take a rest take a seat take a taxi take an exam take notes take someone’s place take a temperature |
break a habit break a promise break a record break the law break the news break the rules |
catch a bus catch a chill catch a cold catch the flu catch fire catch sight of catch someone’s eye catch someone’s attention |
|
PAY |
SAVE |
KEEP |
|
pay attention pay by credit card pay cash pay a compliment pay a visit pay your respects |
save energy save money save a seat save to a disk save space save time |
keep a diary keep a promise keep a secret keep calm keep control keep in touch keep quiet keep the change |
|
COME |
GO |
GET |
|
come into view come late come on time come right back come to a compromise come to a decision come to an agreement come to an end come to a standstill come to terms with |
go abroad go astray go bankrupt go dark go fishing/ skiing/ kayaking go missing go on foot go online go out of business go overseas |
get divorced get drunk get frightened get home get lost get married get nowhere get permission get pregnant get ready get started get the impression get the message get the sack |
Despite the "volume" of this list, you can simplify the task of remembering these collocations.
First, go in motion expressions can be changed to come.
Secondly, get , as we already know, is a state change verb. Therefore, whatever adjective is added to it, the whole expression will take on the meaning of "becoming something." Instead of get in such expressions, you can put become, turn, go .
Therefore, if the lexical base allows you, play with the values, substitute and replace. But make sure that you are understood at the same time!
Expressions with Take
- Take (smb) to court
- Take (smb's) temperature
- Take a bite
- Take a bow
- Take a break
- Take a call
- Take a chance
- Take a class
- Take/make a decision
- Take a holiday
- Take a lesson
- Take a look
- Take a message
- Take a nap
- Take a number
- Take a picture
- Take a rest
- Take a risk
- Take a seat
- Take/have a shower
- Take a step
- Take a test
- Take a while/a minute
- Take a photo/photograph
- Take a taxi/bus/train/plane
- Take action
- Take advantage (of)
- Take advice
- Take ages
- Take an exam/a test/a course
- Take care of
- Take charge (of)
- Take drugs
- Take exercise
- Take medicine
- Take notes
- Take notice
- Take part
- Take place
- Take pride in
- Take somebody's place
- Take someone's temperature
- Take time
- Take turns
- Take up space
- Take your time
List of collocations with Keep
- Keep in touch
- Keep track of
- Keep tabs on
- Keep in mind
- Keep smth to yourself
- Keep someone
- Keep someone's place
- Keep someone posted
- Keep it up
- Keep it down
- Keep up
- Keep your job
- Keep safe
- Keep someone company
- Keep smth on the down low
- Keep a secret
- Keep a promise
- Keep a diary
- Keep a journal
- Keep the change
- Keep score
- Keep your balance
- Keep someone in check
- Keep an appointment
- Keep away
- Keep pace
- Keep calm
- Keep the quite
- Keep records
- Keep animals
- Keep up the good work
